From Pataudi to Tendulkar-Anderson: A Tale of Two Trophies

England and India will now play for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, replacing the Pataudi Trophy — a move that has sparked widespread criticism. Here's the full story behind the controversy.

Patudi-Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy Controversy (Image Source: Google)

Cricket Controversy (India, England, and the Battle Over the Trophy) - So now it’s official — England and India will contest their Test series for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, not the Pataudi Trophy.

This renaming has stirred widespread disapproval, especially in India, with reactions ranging from cricketing legends to passionate fans. The Pataudi Trophy honoured Mansur Ali Khan (Tiger) Pataudi and his father, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi — both of whom captained India. Notably, Pataudi Sr. remains one of the rare cricketers to have represented both England and India in Test cricket.

The Pataudi Trophy was instituted by the MCC in 2007 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the first England-India Test series in 1932. Crafted by renowned London silversmith Jocelyn Burton at her Holborn studio, the trophy was even showcased at her 2012 exhibition at Bentley & Skinner, London. Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi had been invited to present the inaugural trophy, which India captain Rahul Dravid received after the series.

However, the bitter truth is that the BCCI never officially endorsed the Pataudi Trophy as the definitive prize for the England-India Test series. It appears the MCC named the series unilaterally, without consulting the BCCI — a move that was never formally embraced by the Indian board.

The message to the ECB was implicit but firm. When India toured England in 2011, Pataudi was once again invited to present the trophy despite undergoing treatment. He made the effort to travel and was present at The Oval for the presentation. Records show that a rehearsal of the ceremony was conducted with Pataudi, with clear instructions given.

But during the actual presentation, events took an unfortunate turn. Although he was on the dais, Mike Atherton — anchoring the ceremony — did not invite Pataudi to hand over the trophy. Instead, the npower Trophy (named after the series sponsor) was awarded to England captain Andrew Strauss. In a later interview, Sharmila Tagore, Pataudi’s wife and a renowned actress, revealed that once the formal ceremony ended, Pataudi was privately asked to hand over the actual Pataudi Trophy to Strauss — an act that was neither televised nor widely reported.

It was a moment of deep humiliation for one of India’s greatest cricket captains. Shockingly, the BCCI remained silent.

Tagore later remarked, “The Pataudi Trophy was instituted by the MCC quite a few years ago, but I’m not sure whether it was cleared with the ECB or the BCCI at the time.” After returning from England, Pataudi’s health deteriorated, and he passed away in September 2011.

In 2012–13, when England toured India for a four-Test series, Sharmila Tagore formally requested the BCCI to name the series after Pataudi. In response, the BCCI stated for the first time that the series in India was already contested for the Anthony De Mello Trophy — and there was no justification to retire it. Hence, the understanding emerged that in England the series was for the Pataudi Trophy, and in India, for the De Mello Trophy.

Ironically, most Indian fans — and even some players — were unaware of the Anthony De Mello Trophy. Former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi, who played under Pataudi, criticised the BCCI's handling, tweeting: “(I) played six series with England and not once was there mention of the De Mello Trophy.”

The De Mello Trophy, named after the first secretary of the BCCI, was instituted in 1951. Though he played a key administrative role, De Mello was also considered one of the most controversial figures in Indian cricket, associated with several incidents that cast a shadow over the game before independence.

This is not an isolated case of the BCCI downplaying Pataudi’s legacy. In 2013, amid criticism from Sharmila Tagore for delaying a formal tribute, the BCCI initiated the Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi Memorial Lecture. Sunil Gavaskar delivered the inaugural lecture, but the initiative soon lost momentum and was quietly shelved.

According to reports, it has now been decided that a Pataudi Medal will be awarded to the winning captain. But the fact remains: since 2007, the Pataudi Trophy was never consistently presented, even in England. The 2014 series was officially the Investec Series, while in 2018, the Specsavers Trophy was handed to Alastair Cook. On 7 May 2022, after a drawn series, Jasprit Bumrah and Ben Stokes were jointly presented the LV= Insurance Trophy.

No doubt, the Pataudi Trophy has been presented on some occasions, but officially, the series has almost always carried the name of its commercial sponsor — not of its intended cricketing icon.